Mark W. Barker - New American Ship Visits Duluth for the First Time!

Here's a video that took nearly 40 years to happen! This is the Mark W. Barker seen arriving in the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior late on the morning of September 6, 2022. The Barker was making her first visit to the Twin Ports after entering service in July 2022. It was also her first trip since being formally christened in Cleveland on September 1. She was arriving with salt to be discharged at the Hallett 8 dock on the Superior side of the harbor. As she passed through the shipping canal, she sounded a captain's salute consisting of one long and two short blasts, which Duluth's historic Aerial Lift Bridge responded to. I then caught up with the Barker again at Rice's Point to watch her pass under the John A. Blatnik bridge, after which she proceeded onwards towards the Hallett 8 dock. After unloading, she would then move over to the Canadian National dock in West Duluth to load taconite pellets before departing on September 8. The 639-foot Mark W. Barker was constructed in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and launched in the Spring of 2022, making her the first newly-built American lake freighter since 1983. She made her first sea trials under her own power on July 1, 2022. She is the first "River Class" freighter, meaning she is designed to navigate rivers such as the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland. She is powered by two 4,000 horsepower, 16-cylinder EMD diesel engines which drive a single 18-foot, four-blade, controllable-pitch propeller. She has 1,000-hp Kongsberg bow and stern thrusters, which help her navigate tight waterways without the need for tugboat assistance. Her hull has been optimized for efficiency and all systems have been designed to ensure low energy consumption. A Kongsberg high-lift rudder optimizes the wake through the propeller. Her cargo hold has capacity for 26,000 tons and she has a front-mounted self-unloading boom. She has five hydraulically controlled stackable MacGregor hatches, which are more commonly seen on ocean-going ships. She also has a flat-bottomed cargo hold, which means can carry both bulk cargo including salt, iron ore, and limestone, but can also carry package or project cargo, such as wind turbine blades. The Mark W. Barker is named after the current president of Interlake Steamship Company. He is also the son of James and Kaye Barker, who also have vessels named after them. While we've seen several newly-built Canadian lake freighters visit Duluth over the past few years, there is something special about seeing a newly-built American lake freighter that was built on the Great Lakes. She likely won't be as regular of a visitor to the Twin Ports as some of the other Interlake vessels, as she will be servicing a wide number of ports hauling different cargoes. But we will she look forward to seeing her a few times a year. Here's hoping she has smooth sailing for many years ahead of her!